Red-light cameras ignite fight in Tallahassee

March 8, 2014|By Aaron Deslatte, Tallahassee Bureau Chief

TALLAHASSEE — Florida's accelerating use of red-light cameras to ticket drivers is fueling a war in the Capitol this spring as lawmakers consider whether to apply the brakes to the controversial law-enforcement tactic.

At the heart of the fight: Are red-light cameras making roads safer or more dangerous?

A study by the Legislature's policy analysis office determined that across the state, crashes had increased 12 percent at intersections with cameras. But the report also said fatalities at the 230 camera-equipped intersections on state roads went down 49 percent.

Broward and Miami-Dade counties accounted for more than nine out of 10 additional rear-end and crashes at other angles at red-light camera intersections on state roads, according to the report by the Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability.

Conversely, Orange and Seminole counties showed some of the steepest declines in those wrecks most commonly associated with running red lights.

"We have drastically different results in Orange County," said Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando. "We've had success in Orange County."

Some intersections showing the steepest reductions in crashes are in Cocoa, Winter Springs and Polk County, according to an Orlando Sentinel analysis of the Department of Transportation wreck data used in the state study. Meanwhile, those with the largest spikes are mostly in South Florida – Pembroke Pines, Sunrise and Miami, although Apopka also led the pack in more crashes.

But Orlando and other cities and counties argue the study is flawed, and their data suggest the intersections are actually safer.

Orange County, which began installing cameras in 2011, reported through mid-2013 that its side-impact crashes at camera-equipped intersections had decreased 23 percent and rear-end crashes had dropped 15 percent.

Critics of the state report point out the state switched forms for wrecks in 2011, creating the appearance of an increase in crashes when that might not be accurate. The study doesn't consider overall traffic-accident trends in the cities, differing traffic volumes between cities, or compare the camera-intersections to jurisdictions without cameras.

"We just need a lot of data that we don't have," Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said last month when the report was presented.

Cities also vary in the other steps they've used to reduce wrecks, such as using longer yellow lights. And they differ in what kinds of tickets they give out — Orlando, for instance, doesn't ticket for right-hand "rolling stops" on red lights.

The push to regulate the cameras already has run into a campaign by local governments and the vendors who gross tens of millions of dollars from them.

House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz have both said they'd like to repeal Florida's 2010 law authorizing local governments to install the cameras.

But local governments argue they should wait to see how 2013 changes shake out.

"We think it may be better to wait a year and see if those changes are effective," said League of Cities lobbyist Casey Cook.

The biggest vendor selling cameras, Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions, spent about $345,000 to lobby lawmakers last year when they approved a bill creating a new appeals process for motorists caught by the cameras.

Last month, a company lobbyist wrote talking points for Orlando, other cities, counties and sheriffs to combat the state report.

"Our message is the point of [cameras] is to reduce fatalities and make intersection[s] safer," ATS lobbyist Ron LaFace wrote in a Feb. 12 email. "Breaking out certain types of crashes and saying a certain type is up or down has no real relevance, it's lowering the risk ... and the harm."

The company also has given $520,000 to politicians in three years, sending $190,000 to the state Republican Party, along with $10,000 checks to funds for incoming Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, Senate budget chief Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and others.

One impact is clear: the cameras are delivering a big payday to local governments and vendors.

By last summer, cameras were installed at 922 intersections in 26 Florida counties — the vast majority located in Central Florida, and Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Together, they generated $119 million in tickets. The fine is set at $158 a ticket.

Roughly half that revenue went to the state, and the local governments pocketed $56.4 million of it — using half of that to pay vendors, according to the OPPAGA report.

About half of that local revenue went to just 15 local governments — including Miami, Apopka, Orlando, Hollywood, Boca Raton, Kissimmee and Fort Lauderdale.

"The red-light camera vendors masked the real intention of red-light camera revenue: revenue to the cities. They hide it under safety," said Rep. Frank Artiles, a Miami Republican who wants to repeal the cameras. "This is not about safety. This is about money."